1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat switch for use in a power seat.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
As a conventional seat switch for a power seat provided in a vehicle, there is known a seat switch of a type which is shown in FIG. 16 (a). FIG. 16 (a) shows a switch knob 1 which is disposed in each of the two side portions of a vehicle power seat. Also, in FIG. 16 (a), reference characters 2, 3 and 4 respectively designate the operation positions of a front seat vertical switch operation shaft, a seat slide switch operation shaft, and a rear seat vertical switch operation shaft. In FIGS. 16 (a) to (c) and in FIGS. 15 (a) and (b), the left side thereof is assumed to be the front side of the vehicle, while the right side thereof is assumed to be the rear side of the vehicle.
If the switch knob 1 shown in FIG. 16 (a) is operated in a direction of an arrow line A (in the back-and-forth direction thereof) shown in FIG. 16 (a), then the seat slide switch operation shaft 3 is operated by the switch know 1, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the power seat 5 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) and is thereby moved in the back-and-forth direction thereof (in a direction of an arrow line a which is shown in FIG. 16 (c)).
Also, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), if the front side of the switch knob 1 is swung in the vertical direction (in a direction of an arrow line B shown in FIG. 16 (a), then the front seat vertical switch operation shaft 2 is operated on by the switch knob 1, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the front seat surface of the power seat 5 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) and is thereby moved up or down in a direction of an arrow line b shown in FIG. 16 (c). Also, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), if the rear side of the switch knob 1 is swung in the vertical direction (in a direction of an arrow line C shown in FIG. 16 (a), then the rear seat vertical switch operation shaft 4 is operated on by the switch knob 1, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the rear seat surface of the power seat 5 is driven due to the driving force of a drive motor (not shown) and is thereby moved up or moved down in a direction of an arrow line c shown in FIG. 16 (c).
As described above, in the conventional structure, the operation directions of the switch knob 1 shown in FIG. 16 (a) are made to correspond to the operation directions of the power seat 5. And, since the switch knob of this type is capable of moving up and down the power seat 5 respectively in the front and rear seat surfaces thereof, the present switch knob is generally referred to as a switch knob of a seat vertical 4-way type.
On the other hand, as another conventional switch knob, there is known a switch knob 6 of a type which is shown in FIG. 16 (b). In FIG. 16 (b), reference character 7 designates the position of the fixed shaft of the switch knob 6, while 2 and 3 respectively stand for the positions of the same operation shafts as in the above-mentioned conventional switch knob 1.
If the switch knob 6 shown in FIG. 16 (b) is operated in a direction of an arrow line A (in the back-and-forth direction thereof) shown in FIG. 16 (b), then the seat slide switch operation shaft 3 is operated by the switch knob 6, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the power seat 5 is moved in the back-and-forth direction thereof (in the arrow line a direction shown in FIG. 16 (c) due to the driving force of a drive motor (not shown).
Also, as shown in FIG. 16 (b), if the front side of the switch knob 6 is swung in the vertical direction (in a direction of an arrow line B shown in FIG. 16 (b)), then the switch knob 6 is swung about the fixed shaft 7, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the front seat surface of the power seat 5 is moved up or down in the vertical direction (in the arrow line c direction shown in FIG. 16 (c)) due to the driving force of a drive motor (not shown). Since the switch knob 6 of this type is capable of moving up or down the power seat 5 only in one of the seat surfaces of the two end portions of the power seat (in this case, the seat surface of the front portion of the power seat) thereof, the switch knob is generally referred to as a switch knob of a seat vertical 2-way type.
Further, as an example of a switch knob of a seat vertical 2-way type, there is known a switch knob which is shown in FIG. 15 (a). In this example, if a switch knob 8 shown in FIG. 15 (a) is operated in a direction of an arrow line A shown in FIG. 15 (a) (that is, in the back-and-forth direction thereof), then a seat slide switch operation shaft 3 is operated on by the switch knob 8, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the power seat 5 is moved in the back-and-forth direction thereof (in the arrow line a direction shown in FIG. 16 (c) due to the driving force of a drive motor (not shown). Also, as shown in FIG. 15 (a), if the rear side of the switch knob 8 is swung in a direction of an arrow a line C shown in FIG. 15 (a), then the switch knob 8 is swung about a fixed shaft 7a and a rear seat vertical operation shaft 4 is thereby operated on, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 16 (c), the rear portion seat surface of the power seat 5 is moved up or down in the arrow line c direction shown in FIG. 16 (c) due to the driving force of a drive motor (not shown).
As described above, the switch knobs 1, 6 and 8 are all structured such that the portions of the switch knobs 1, 6 and 8 to be operated are respectively allowed to correspond to the portions of the power seat 5 to be operated, while the operation directions of the portions of the switch knobs 1, 6 and 8 to be operated are respectively allowed to correspond to the operation directions of the power seat 5. The reason why the motion of the power seat and the motion of the switch knobs are allowed to correspond to each other is that, when an operator wants to move up or down a given portion of the power seat, if the operator operates the operation portion of the switch knob that is allowed to correspond to the given portion of the power seat, then the given portion of the power seat can be operated easily with no trouble.
Although the seat vertical movement adjusts the seat front portion surface or seat rear portion surface of the power seat 5 by the above-mentioned conventional switch knob, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), there exists a need to move up or down the whole seat surface of the power seat 5 in a direction of an arrow line d shown in FIG. 15 (b) (that is, in the vertical direction thereof). In this case as well, the motion of the power seat 5 requires using a switch knob of a seat vertical 2-way type and the operation of the switch knob must be executed in correspondence to the motion of the power seat 5 for the above-mentioned reason.
However, in the conventional switch knobs 6 and 8 of a seat vertical 2-way type, there arises a problem that the movements of the switch knobs 6 and 8 cannot be made to correspond to the motion of the power seat 5 shown in FIG. 15 (b). That is, in the switch knob 6 shown in FIG. 16 (b), the front portion of the switch knob 6 is operated in the arrow line B direction and, in the switch knob 8 shown in FIG. 15 (a), the rear portion of the switch knob 8 is operated in the arrow line C direction: and, therefore, the movements of the switch knobs 6 and 8 are different from the motion of the power seat 5 shown in FIG. 15 (b).
Also, when trying to dispose a switch knob in such a manner that the motion thereof is allowed to correspond to the motion of the power seat 5 the whole of which, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), is movable in the vertical direction (in the arrow line d direction), it is necessary to dispose a seat vertical switch operation shaft which can be operated by means of the operation of the same switch knob; and, at the same time, it is also necessary to dispose a seat slide switch operation shaft which is sued to move the power seat 5 in the back-and-forth direction thereof. However, in this structure, differently from the conventional switch knobs 6 and 8 of a seat vertical 2-way type, there are not disposed the fixed shafts 7 and 7a; and, therefore, there arises a problem that the present switch knob cannot be fixed.
Further, depending on the types of vehicles, there is another request for development of a new type of seat switch which is structure din the following manner. That is, the new seat switch is capable of not only dealing with the above-mentioned motion of the power set 5 shown in FIG. 15 (b) but also serving as the conventional switch knob 1 of a seat vertical 4-way type shown in FIG. 16 (a) to thereby be above to deal with the motion of the power seat 5 shown in FIG. 16 (c) (that is, the movements of the power seat 5 in the a, b and c directions), so that, in the new seat switch, some parts of the above-mentioned two types of seat switches can be used in common to thereby reduce the cost of the seat switch.